WiretoWire: Joe Highsmith goes from cutline to champion at PGA National

Joe Highsmith needed to drain a slippery 5-footer on his final hole Friday at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches just to survive the cutline at PGA National. Then he went gangbusters with weekend scores of 64-64 to earn his first PGA TOUR victory. Highsmith, 24, finished at 19-under 265, two strokes clear of Jacob Bridgeman and J.J. Spaun. Highsmith won with Joe LaCava IV on the bag (son of famed caddie Joe LaCava), and he did so from four strokes back into Sunday at the water-logged South Florida venue. His mom Anne planned to leave after nine holes Sunday, but she canceled her flight as her son turned in 3-under and added back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. Highsmith made birdie at No. 13 and added a 21-foot birdie at the par-3 17th, the final leg of the three-hole “Bear Trap,” to gain distance from the field. Much of the week was owned by Jake Knapp, who opened in a course-record 59 and held the solo lead in the fairway at the par-4 11th before an approach into the water led to a devastating triple bogey. That opened the door for Highsmith, a Pepperdine alum who earned his first PGA TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, and he ran right through it. Highsmith mostly avoided trouble on a weekend at PGA National that included just one bogey, and he secured his first TOUR title in his 34th start. It meant a spot in the Masters, PGA Championship and the season’s remaining Signature Events; exempt TOUR status through 2027; and memories that he’ll cherish forever. "(My mom) was supposed to leave at the turn but I was like, 'Well what if I'm like 5-under through 9, Mom' ... I played great on the front and then I saw her on the 12th hole and was like, 'Yeah, she canceled her flight,’” Highsmith laughed afterward. “That was the last thing I expected at the start of the day, was a win. I mean, it’s incredible.”

Florida Swing continues at Arnie's Place

The Florida Swing moves to Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the fourth Signature Event of the season. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is the second of three player-hosted invitationals (along with The Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday hosted by Jack Nicklaus). Scottie Scheffler heads to Orlando looking to defend his title from 2024 in what would become his first of nine worldwide wins for the season. He faces a charged field in his title defense, including world No. 3 Xander Schauffele, who is returning to action after recovering from a rib injury. The field also includes players from the Aon Next 10 and Aon Swing 5, finalized after the conclusion of the Cognizant Classic.

TOUR heads to Puerto Rico for first Additional Event

The first Additional Event of the season, taking place alongside the Arnold Palmer Invitational, features a field of TOUR winners and rising stars heading to the island of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Open, contested at Grand Reserve Golf Club, offers a key opportunity to earn some valuable FedExCup points as players continue to chase the top-100 threshold for PGA TOUR cards by the end of the season. Competitors will also look to play their way into the next Signature Event, the RBC Heritage, via the Aon Swing 5 and Aon Next 10. Notable players heading to the Caribbean include Camilo Villegas, Brandt Snedeker and 17-year-old Blades Brown, who is playing on a sponsor exemption.

Video of the week

Mic check

“I mean, dad and mom, what they've done for me, it's kind of – can't even put it into words. No one knows about it. No one really will ever know how much they did for me.” – Luke Clanton on the support from his parents and family after earning his PGA TOUR card at the Cognizant Classic.

By the numbers

153 – Justin Suh claimed the 118 Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro and a spot at The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush via the Open Qualifying Series.

59 – Jake Knapp carded 12-under 59 in the opening round of the Cognizant Classic, marking the 15th sub-60 score in PGA TOUR history.

2 – Dale Whitnell made two aces in the same round at the DP World Tour’s Investec South African Open Championship.